BROKEN HEARTED

Thanatos - God of the Dead

Thanatos is the son of Nyx, goddess of night, and the brother Hypnos, god of eternal sleep. While growing up in the underworld, born of night and raised by darkness he could have never grown to be anything other than the god of the dead. It did not take long for everyone, mortals and gods alike, to know him as simply the personification of death.

While everyone saw this as a stain, a marker that he was evil, he saw this role as an opportunity. He began to understand mortals in a way his godly mother never would. He had a talent of seeing them for what they were not what value they possessed. Though rumor may deny, he was never the one who killed the mortal or dragged them to their death. He simply met them when it was their time and walked with them into their transition to the afterlife. He mostly listened to them, their concerns, their worries, and their regrets. And sometimes he would answer their questions if they intrigued him.

In the beginning, he avoided, hades, lord of the underworld, because he preferred being a solitary god, in need of no family, no allies. But he soon came to realize that hades and he were one of the same. Men who were misunderstood by their families and cast away to the underworld. They understood each other in a way no other god would. They were both tainted by the dead and yet most free while in the underworld. Hades and he both understood the stain their job entailed and yet neither would give it up for all the nectar on Olympus.

...

Hades marched down the hallway from their room towards his office in his usually fast-paced stride. The only difference in his appearance was that his scowl rested deeper into his face than usual. He had left Persephone alone in their room because he could see no end to their argument. Yet still, no matter how furious she had made him, it still hurt him physically to leave her alone like that. He knew she didn't want him to go, he had heard her trying to plead with him as he made his way to the doors. But he also knew that if he stayed he would only end up hurting her even more. That he could not allow. He knew his temper, knew that if he had stayed he would regret his words in the future, and knew it would only deepen the rift more than it already was.

He went to work, trying to take his mind off his wife even if it was only for a second. There would have to be more words between them in the future. There would have to be trust rebuilt and there was always the problem of the prophecy. But for this second he needed time to think. To be alone with his thoughts.

Hurting her was something he could not do. As it was, he already regretted his harsh words. The memory of her retreating into herself when he yelled would always haunt him. He had sworn to only show her his gentlest side and to make her feel comfortable around him. To comfort her when all else was destructive. To save only his softest and kindest words for her. And yet he had caused her to close in on herself. Her mother had done this to her countless times and now so had he. He would always hate Demeter for making Persephone feel small and insignificant and now it was unlikely he would ever forgive himself for such an offense.

But he also had seen how she had stood up for herself and her ideals in a way he knew she wouldn't have months ago. She had grown so much since leaving her mother. He knew he had nothing to do with it, she had grown in spite of herself and everything that had stood in her way. He had just had the pleasure of watching her bloom in front of him. She could seduce him in the most provocative ways and still, this would be the most beautiful memory of her he would ever know.

He had always known she was powerful if only she had allowed herself to be.

Distancing himself from his thoughts, he centered back on the business that demanded his attention. His voice boomed as he called out into the open castle halls, "Thanatos."

The god appeared instantly out of the smoke and darkness, obviously awaiting his king's call, "Yes, sir?"

"What is the status of the mortal woman?" he asked, not slowing his pace but assuming Thanatos could keep up with him.

"Although there were unusual circumstances, it was a simple judging," Thanatos reported back to him.

"Any convictions?" Hades asked. While he objected to his wife's actions, he could not object that she had picked the soul well. The child and mother should have never been left on the banks of the river Styx. He would have to investigate further why they had been missed. While he had openly objected, he would make sure these two would be taken care of. Clearly, their family had left them unprotected, but he certainly would not. Not any longer.

"None. The mother lived a, while short, fairly good life and was given passage into Elysium almost immediately," Thanatos said as they made their way into Hades' office.

"And the girl?" Hades asked, sitting down behind his desk.

"With the mother."

"Perfect," Hades said, although it came out angrily as he sighed. He never liked it when things happened out of his control, especially within his realm. Although he wanted these two mortals to have the afterlife they deserved, it was still a reminder of the night's events. Of the tension happening within his own home, within his own marriage.

Thanatos watched his king carefully, "My lord? It is only two souls," still the scowl never left Hades face. "And the issue was contained relatively quickly and easily."

"Yes, I am aware." Hades agreed in a gravel type voice. He then dismissed Thanatos, no longer having a need for the god. He wanted nothing more than to be left alone for the rest of the night. "Update me the moment you have anything to report," Hades said as he went back to looking over the papers left on his desk, assuming the god would leave. He was not so much reading as looking them over, his mind still very much on his wife.

"Is everything alright, sir?" Hades heard Thanatos ask, all formality gone from his voice.

Hades was quick to look up at the god of the dead, his voice lowered angrily once again, "Does it look like everything's fine? You know how I expect the Underworld to be run. Does this seem acceptable? Now get out before I throw you into Tartarus." Hades finished, waving his hand at his advisor.

"My lord?" Thanatos still persisted.

"What is it Thanatos? As you can see, I am busy."

"If I'm not overstepping, could I make an observation?" he asked.

Hades sighed, "Would it matter if I said you were overstepping?" he asked. He had known the god since the beginning of his reign and the two had grown quite close. Besides Persephone, there was no one else he trusted more. He knew if Thanatos had something to say, he would be heard.

The god simply smiled in response, "Do you not think she might have been mistaken?"

"This was no mistake, she knew what she was doing," Hades replied. They had spoken of the forgotten many times and while they had never come to a conclusion he had made his stance clear. She was given a choice and she made it.

"And can you really condemn her for it?" he asked quickly as if he had been expecting Hades' response. Hades, who was already in a horrible mood, did not appreciate being questioned. Even by Thanatos, a man who he would consider a close friend.

"You should know very well that if she were anyone else, I would have already had her banished or worse," Hades stated harshly, biting at each word.

Thanatos did not seem to mind or notice. "But she isn't just anyone, is she?" he asked with a knowing smile.

Hades answered immediately, "She could never be just anyone." He did not have to think to know the answer already.

He never understood what had first set her apart in his mind from all others. It was clear that now it was certainly the love he held for her. But even from the beginning, before he knew he loved her, she had always caught his eye. She had always been the most beautiful, the sharpest mind, and the kindest heart. He still felt anger when he thought of what she had done. But still, when he thought of her, he only felt love.

Her laugh, her eyes, her smile.

"You love her for who she is," Thanatos said after clearing his throat. "Persephone; the goddess who wandered down to the Underworld to find you. The woman who has taken in the stray. And now the Queen who helps the forgotten. It is who she is and it is why you love her. It should not have shocked you when she acted on her own accord. She always has." Thanatos said, making Hades' fists tighten.

What Hades had to say he said immediately and loudly, "It did not shock me that her bleeding heart wanted to help the forgotten. I knew she would the moment she saw them. I'm mad - no furious - because she did it behind my back." Hades said. He had started talking loudly and angrily, but by the end of his sentence, his voice had turned quiet and low. "Do you know what it is like to be betrayed by the one you trust above all else?"

"Some would count you lucky to even be heartbroken." His friend's words stung Hades, and he could not help but look up the moment the word heartbroken was used. "Do not so easily give up what you have. Not everyone else is as fortunate," Thanatos said, with his same deathly smile on his face, but it was somehow different now. Sadder. More regretful.

Hades looked to his friend and saw the pain that was clearly so potent on his face and knew he was speaking of himself. Hades had always counted Thanatos as one of his closest allies and because of this, he wanted so desperately to cleanse him of the pain he knew he carried. He knew what Thanatos was referring to, he remembered the tragedy that had befallen the god of the dead. At one time, many years ago, Thanatos had come to Hades, as he never had before, to beg for the life of a mortal. To spare the life of his love. Once again, Hades' heart broke for his friend. Hades had always known being the god of the dead would leave Thanatos with the same stain it had left on himself. The only difference it seemed was Hades had Persephone, his own spring within his darkness, while Thanatos had no one.

"If you had expected her to follow your every word, you have certainly met a different goddess than I have." Thanatos finished.

Hades cleared his voice of all emotion and continued, "Of course not, but I do expect the courtesy of a warning when it pertains to my domain," Hades argued, his pride making him maintain his strong appearance outwardly while he continued to waver on the inside. As always, Thanatos's words were ringing true.

"But it is not yours alone now, is it?" he asked. "You could have taken her as a wife or a mistress for that matter. But you didn't. You made her your queen." Thanatos observed, "I do not pretend to know the intimates of your relationship, to be honest, you keep me far too busy to care."

Hades laughed, "You could have fooled me."

"Forgive me, Hades, I do not mean to insult you," Thanatos said respectfully.

Hades sighed once again, but this time it was not in annoyance, it was in a semblance of defeat. "You do not, Thanatos, you simply have caught me at a bad time. Everything you have said you have said well. I must now adjust to this new future of ours, and I am afraid I am not good at adjusting." he said, staring out of his blackened window that faced the river Styx, instead of at the god. "She has acted against me tonight. That is not a small betrayal for me. I'm afraid that I cannot forgive her as quickly as a better man could."

Silence filled the air between the two old friends. There was no way for Hades to escape himself, he was not a better man; he was jealous, he was unforgiving, he was prideful, and he was bitter. But he loved her. And he knew himself to be undeserving of her love. Betrayal or not.

He heard Thanatos walking towards the doors, finally leaving him to his thoughts. But before he could leave he turned back around to offer one last piece of truthful advice as only the god of the dead could provide, "If I may, it is not hard to piece together why she chose you. You gave her freedom; To be herself, to be powerful, to be unapologetic, to not only be the goddess of spring. Take that away from her and it will do neither you nor her any good. She is meant to be a Queen, with all the heirs that it entails."

"Do not be mistaken she is a queen with or without me." Hades nodded in agreement with him. "You have given me much to think about. What would I do without you?"

The god laughed in reply, "I ask myself that every day."

Hades could not stop himself from laughing as well. "You are excused now," Hades said, effectively silencing the god of the dead who could have the most cheerful of laughter. "And in the future? I would appreciate you keeping the overstepping to a minimum," he said in his normal stern voice, but when Thanatos turned back around he was smiling once again, knowing full well, Hades didn't mean a word.

"Yes, sir," and with that Thanatos was gone, and Hades was left alone, just how he wanted to be.

The silence brought him back to the night's events. He turned them over in his mind, evaluating each one as he had taught himself to do. To be meticulous and not act on emotion. To think everything through until the truth was revealed. The only problem was when it came to Persephone, he could never think clearly. It was usually simple, but not this time. He could still feel his anger that she did not trust him. That he was naive enough to think that in everything they were together.

After some contemplation, he had realized he was not mad because of her safety or the countless rules she had broken. Although important, they were not the reason for his fury. He knew his anger stemmed from his pride and the fact he had been hurt. He knew he had a part to play in the night's events and while he would like to place blame solely on Persephone, he too was at fault. He too would have to make amends.

He had wished them to be the perfect couple who would never go through times like this, who would never question each other's devotion and trust. He should have known he would have to work and fight for the things he wanted. That for a love like this the work would always be worth it.

He would not give up on her - on them. They would learn from this and be better for it.